Back to Fan FictionAfter my muse left me hanging, I finally got time and ideas to continue the story. Sorry for the huge delay, but here it is finally, the last installment of my story. Of course I still don’t own The Nanny, but it’s just so much fun playing with these wonderful characters! I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Comments are very welcomed.
Chapter Four: Time is a great healer
by
Rebby
(nannyrebby@yahoo.de)
"Goodbye my lover. Goodbye my friend. You have been the one. You have been the one for me." Fran listened carefully to the lyrics while she mouthed the words along with the song. She had boarded the plane and now she was on her way to South Africa... her head leaned against her seat, she stared out the window, seeing nothing but clouds. She couldn't believe they had parted that way. She had hoped they would find a way to figure this out... to manage her year abroad, to manage being without one another. But she had thought wrong... telling Max was the most difficult thing she'd ever done... and she had seen it in his eyes. She had broken his heart! She had told him how much she loved him and he had told her, too. They even shared some tender love-making on her 19th birthday, but then he said something she would have never thought he'd ever say: "This was just a game for you, wasn't it?" She could see his face right in front of her inner eyes... a shaken young man. Someone deeply hurt, someone who couldn't understand what was going on. She knew she would hurt him, but did he have to hurt her even more? She had talked with Val and her sister about it and she was sure he hadn't meant what he said. She had cried all night, had tried to hate him, but she simply couldn't. What would she have said and felt like when he had told her something as devastating as that? She sure as hell knew she would have freaked, she would have cried and screamed. So there was no reason that Max couldn't act hurt and be just that.
She reached for her necklace locket, eyeing it sadly. She sighed, single tears streaming down her face. Why did he have to be so stubborn? Why hadn't he called and apologized? Did he really think everything was just a damn game for her? Could he really be so stupid? The more she thought about it, the more she believed he never really loved her. Maybe he had misled her? Maybe it was a game for him? Yeah... that must be it. He never really loved her, now did he? He was just attracted to her, wanted to have fun... She held the necklace tight in her hand, her sobbing became stronger. Thinking about it and saying it over and over again didn't change anything about her feelings for him. She truly loved him and didn't want to let it go, to let him go. She wouldn't part from the necklace locket, it was the only thing she could keep which actually reminded her of him. The heart represented hers, the picture in it their once shared love. She would never throw it away, it would always remind her of her great love! And she didn't care if he maybe didn't love her back, for her these wonderful months were the best of her life.
She wiped her eyes, the sobbing wasn't so strong anymore. Suddenly she realized there was another thing which would remind her of him: the ring! The ring which said "I love you. Maxwell" Maybe he did love her... but believing he actually did hurt her even more. Val and her sister must have been right... he hadn't meant what he said, it was just a reflex, wasn't it? All those precious gifts he bought her, all the romantic hours they spent together, it couldn't have meant nothing for him, now could it? He was a producer, not an actor! She eyed her ring, turning it around on her finger. She wondered when she'd be ready to take it off, when she'd be ready to let him go and when she'd be ready to fall in love again... then she sighed deeply, wondering if she would ever be ready at all…
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"That's the last one!" Niles shouted from outside, carrying a little box with him. Max stopped dead in his tracks, knowing exactly what was inside of this particular box. He saw Niles putting it to the others in slow motion, everything came back to his mind all of a sudden. He was confused, he had managed to deal with it for quite a while now and just seeing this box made him feel hurt again. "Is everything alright, Max?" Niles asked concerned and put a hand on Max' shoulder to show him his concern. He knew what Max was thinking about, or better, whom he was thinking about. He didn't really know what actually had happened, but he had found a hurt man that day. Max hadn't told him anything, "It's over, Niles! She's gone..." And since that day, the name FRAN had never occured in any of his conversations again.
"Yes, Niles, everything's alright." He looked at Niles and tried to show him a smile. It was a weak one, very weak actually. Niles thought he maybe needed some time alone and excused himself, going into his new room and leaving Maxwell behind. Max stepped closer to where the box was standing and eyed it carefully. He didn't know how long it had been, but he knew that time was a damn great healer. He took the box into both his hands and carried it into his room, placing it on the bed. He closed the door behind himself and sat onto the bed, not sure if he should open the box or not. The memories which were buried inside this small thing were tremendous, he didn't want to get hurt again. But on the other hand, he couldn't resist, he simply had to open it, to remember her and their love!
He reached for a pair of scissors, opening the box carefully. He then put the scissors aside and sighed deeply. First thing he reached for was the framed picture which had its place on his nightstand back in London. Her smile was grinning back at him, it was lovely. He suddenly had to think about the first day they met. She was so innocent and sweet, he had given her a rose, he remembered quite well. She was nervous then and he was, too. But they soon were like the best friends and he got to know her impulsiveness and her fire which he soon loved so much. He ran his fingers over her beautiful face, taking in her beauty. How the hell did they end up being without each other? He was such a fool, it suddenly occured in his mind. He was such a fool asking her if it was just a game for her. He knew it wasn't, but his brain wasn't working normal then. It hurt him so deeply that she said she wanted to go to South Africa, he just couldn't understand. Hell, he didn't want to understand. First she told him how much he meant for her and then she said she wanted to go to South Africa? He just couldn’t get it…He had given up everything for her in London, he moved to New York to be with her every day. And just a few days before it was finally how it was supposed to be, she told him she'd leave... and not for just a few days, for a whole year! It hit him like a gunshot, he couldn't think, he couldn't breathe. He was devastated and he couldn't understand why the person he loved the most wanted to leave him.
He put the picture aside, reaching into the box for something else. He pulled out a staple of papers... a smile crossed his face when he thought about their endless chat conversations and their long e-mails they sent each other. He had printed every of them, every tiny little e-mail. It had felt so wonderful talking to her and even better to hold her in his arms. But why didn't she call? Okay, maybe he was expecting too much from her here. Above all he had asked her something really stupid. He knew she was upset, but hell, he was, too. He didn't even think about apologizing... she had broken his heart! He knew that it wasn't a game for her... he knew she loved him, somehow. But did all that really count? Meeting her parents had been a disaster... as long as they were alone, in their own fantasy world, everything seemed to work. But then, when they stepped into reality nothing was as it was supposed to be. Maybe they just weren't such a good match as they thought they were. Maybe their time together was meant to be just a few months... there's an explanation for everything, isn't it? And nothing happens just because it happens.. there's a reason! He sighed deeply, putting the picture and the papers into the box again, closing it and stuffing it under his bed. He still loved her, but leaving her alone was certainly the best he could do now. She decided to go to South Africa after all, she wanted to leave him, not the other way around. So he respected her decision... if they were really meant for each other, maybe they would meet again some day...
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14 years later
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Fran Fine had never felt so excited in her life before. She was all dressed up and drove into the parking lot of the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, New York. She stopped, loosened her seat belt but didn’t get out. She took a deep breath. Why was she here again? Ah yes, her cousin Toddy for whom she had been working for god knows how long had insisted she’d be at the party of the year. The party which would be attended by every upper class society member in the whole state. The party of Henry James, New York City’s most famous face nowadays. He had earned billions of billions of dollars just by selling stupid software for companies so they would be able to file their data in an easier way.
She had seen him once, surrounded by a mass of people, stepping out of his limousine to get into the Waldorf Astoria. Not exactly her type, she remembered. He was tall and handsome in his own ways, no doubt, but it was his appearance that made Fran think she wouldn’t want to get involved with him in any way imaginable. He was stuck up, made a fortune practically over night and it didn’t do him well at all. She had read many articles about him. He had been a normal working man before he developed something no one had ever thought about before. If only she were so lucky, inventing something as brilliant as his software to make a fortune of her own.
Alright, she really didn’t have anything to complain about. Her family was healthy, her job was doing more than good, she had bought an appartment of her own just recently and the money she earned working for Toddy was enough, more than that actually… but one thing, one important thing was missing. She sighed… when was the last time she had actually had sex with a man? She couldn’t even remember… she dated a lot, of course, but she wasn’t that kind of girl. She wasn’t a one-night-stand for any man, would never be one. All the guys she dated tried to get her into bed after the first date… but hell no, she had principles and she had pride. She wanted a man who was really interested in her and not only her looks… but somehow she had given up that dream of hers. There was no prince charming out there for her…
She shook her head quickly as if to prevent a thought to occur in her mind. She didn’t want to go there tonight… she looked into the rearview mirror one last time, straightened her lipstick and smiled confident at herself. She would go in there and have fun… just fun. She wouldn’t go in there believing she’d meet husband-material. She would just…. party. Yeah, that was the right word.
So she opened the door of her car, locked it once she was outside and walked slowly to the entrance of the hotel. She had dressed pretty elegant that night. A long black dress covered her body, showing off every curve of it. Her hair was hanging loosely around her shoulders, curls framing her face.
The minute she went inside she was surrounded by chic ladies, about her age, their arms entwinded with men’s, her father’s age. She looked around in disgust, how pathetic could one be? She swore to herself she’d never be that miserable… never! In her whole life! She looked around the room, searching for her cousin. As if he had sensed she was searching for him, he turned his head from a distance about ten meters, spotted her and waved his hand. She caught his waving and smiled, working her way through the mass of people in that small lobby.
"Frannie, glad you could make it." Toddy said, embracing her and kissing her on the cheek.
"Toddy, do you think I could miss a party like this?" She gestured to all the people around them. "Rich guys, drinking one scotch after the other, sitting at the bar and ready to pay for my drinks?" She poked him in the ribs with her arm, winking at him and smiling broadly.
Toddy just shook his head. That was his cousin, always in when it came to parties and have fun. He was glad he had given her the job years ago. She came back from South Africa, finally knowing what she really wanted to do. She studied fashion design and started working for him on the weekends to earn a few dollars. After she had her diploma, he immediately hired her. Today, he didn’t regret it at all. He was glad to have her on board of his company.
"Tod….," a man extended his hand to her cousin and greeted him friendly. Toddy turned around, seeing the man and shook hands with him.
"Charles," Toddy said. "Nice to meet you again." He started, but before Charles could continue the conversation, Toddy remembered his manners and introduced Fran to him.
"Fran, such a charming name." The older man said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it just slightly. Fran smiled at the man, though not really flattered. It seemed he told every woman the same… but it wasn’t working with her.
Soon the two men were in a deep conversation about upcoming musicals and fashion shows in town, so Fran excused herself and worked her way through the crowd. She headed for the bar, desperate for a drink. Thoughts of all the old men she had seen this short time she was already there and their barbie dolls were rushing through her brain. She couldn’t believe those men… neither could she believe those girls. What were they thinking? He’ll probably die after the wedding? She just shook her head in disbelief when she suddenly felt another body stumble into hers and the person’s drink spread all over her dress. "Ouch," she said, looking down at herself and turning to face the object which had caused her hurt.
"Oh my god, I’m so sorry," the man standing opposite of her said. "I was totally lost in thoughts and then you…" His eyes first focused on Fran’s lower body and working his way up, he finally looked into her eyes.
Their eyes met and Fran felt like her heart jumped just a tiny little bit. The minute she realized who exactly had stumbled into her, she couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing. She gazed into his eyes, after all those years of living in the same city but never seeing each other again, she had to meet him at this party? It couldn’t be a coincidence, could it? "Hi Max," she said, though her voice was clearly shaking.
The gaze was so intense, he couldn’t take his eyes off hers. He recognized her immediately, feeling like he stepped back into the past. He saw her unsure look, it had been… how long had it actually been since they had seen each other the last time? He couldn’t get out a word first, he was totally taken aback. But clearing his throat, he found his voice again. "Hello Fran, what a coincidence…" Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a handkerchief. "I’m so sorry, let me fix this." He whiped away the liquid from her upper chest, then handing it to her so she could do the rest. "I didn’t hurt you, did I?" He asked concerned, stroking her upper arms with his thumbs gently.
Her heart leaped at his touch. His touch could still get her skin on fire, yearning for more. She couldn’t believe he was real. Handing him the handkerchief again, she looked up into his eyes, seeing his confused look there. "No, no you didn’t." She smiled, "Thanks."
He smiled back, though still feeling quite sorry for what had happened. Her dress was ruined. So he took her hand, guiding her to the ladies’ room. "Let me do this right again, your dress is still a mess." Fran’s mouth fell open, what did he have in mind?
"Max, it’s no big deal. It’s okay, really. You didn’t spill it on purpose." He pulled her after him, locking the door behind them. He walked over to the washbasins, reaching for a piece of paper towel to dry her dress.
"Here, maybe it will soak in a bit of my drink." She was standing next to him, letting him place the papers on her décolleté. They were just a few inches apart, Max’ eyes came up to meet hers again. "There you are, you just have to wait a bit. It will dry." He smiled gently at her, his features still the same like they were 14 years ago. "So tell me… were you on your way to the bar?" He dropped his hands from her shoulders again, leaning against a washbasin.
"Yeah…" She sighed, fumbling with the papers on her décolleté, then looking up at him again. "…and you were coming from the bar, huh?" She giggled, "Sorry you couldn’t enjoy your drink." He was so sweet.
He stared at her like forever, amazed at how she still looked like when he had seen her the last time. "You look absolutely beautiful tonight." He admitted, allowing his eyes to travel up and down her body. "You haven’t changed a bit…" He trailed off…
Fran felt ten feet tall and blushed a little. Why the heck did she blush? She had never blushed before! Okay, she had… but that was years ago. "Thanks…" She answered, leaning against the basins just like him, looking down on her hands. "So, what’s your excuse?" She asked, turning her head to look at him.
"I told you I was lost in thoughts and-"
"No no no," she laughed, "I mean for being here tonight. Why’re ya here?"
Max felt confused, not quite getting all the emotions which were emerging that particular moment. After his wife had died four years ago he had thought about searching for Fran, but he couldn’t quite get himself to do it after all. He still had the box, though it was in the attic, but he still got it. Niles had found him up there about half a year ago, going through all the stuff which reminded him of Fran. The mails, the pictures, everything… He had thought about her a lot after their break up, thinking about contacting her. But when the year which she spent in South Africa was over, he had already met Sara, the mother of his three beautiful children. It was then when he realized that maybe their time was meant to be short.
And now, here he was, seeing her again after all these years. The feeling quite confusing, though not bad. Not bad at all. After C.C. had started to sweet-talk a few backers he had been left alone, not really into the party. He was glad he had met Fran. "My excuse? Well, haven’t you read the news? ‘It’s the party of the year. Everybody-‘"
"-of New York City’s high society will be there tonight.’ Yeah, I’ve read it." She laughed, feeling pretty comfortable with him, just like they had been years ago. She leaned into him a bit, smiling up. His gentle features, the way he smiled and the way he could make her laugh hadn’t changed at all. He had become even more handsome than she remembered he had been then… and that bit of gray in the front of his hair. Aaarrr!
"Not that I would count myself to the high society, but my business partner thought it would be a good opportunity to meet some backers for our new show." He stated, turning his body to her so he could see her better. "Yours?"
"Oh, I…my cousin Toddy said I should go. I’m working for him and he said I could get to know some of the upper class people here, maybe chatting about trends and stuff like that." She looked down on her again, touching the papers to assure herself they were absorbing the liquid.
"Oh, so your into a family business, eh? What is it that you do?"
Fran’s head turned to the man next to her again. "I’m doing fashion. I create clothes for shows, galas and such things." She smiled, then added, "… and musicals."
"Really? So what was the name of your cousin? Toddy?" He looked at her strangely, probably thinking about any great designer named Toddy.
Fran giggled, leaning into him a bit. "Well, actually it’s Todd Oldham, but you know, he’s my cousin and I know him since I was little. So he’s just, yeah, Toddy."
"Todd Oldham… I know him, pretty nice guy to work with." He remarked. They remained silent for a few moments, both thinking about what to talk about next. "So, Fran, how have you been all these years? You’re probably happily married…"
Fran’s smile disappeared and her head sank. She had sworn she wouldn’t let her thoughts go there tonight. Not tonight and certainly not in front of Max. He realized the sudden change in her, but before he could say anything she looked from her hands up at him again, meeting his gaze. "No, I’m not married." Reaching for his hand, she said, "… and I’m sorry what happened to you. I read about it in the news…" Her thumb stroke his hand slowly and she never took her eyes off him.
His heart sank, so she knew. He shifted his gaze from her face and stared into nowhere. He shut his eyes for a short period of time, then looked back at her again. He turned his hand and squeezed hers slightly, it meant more to him that moment than she could have imagined. "Thank you, Fran." He managed a smile, though Fran saw the hurt look in his eyes. Again there was silence between them, both enjoying the gentle touch of the other one. They were busy sorting their own thoughts, Max just like Fran knew they had somehow crossed an invisible line.
Then their eyes met again and Fran took a step closer to him. She put one hand on his upper arm, the other was still holding his hand. Their faces got closer and closer and suddenly their lips touched ever so slightly. Pulling back just a little, she looked up into his eyes. Seeing the exact same mixture of emotions, she sighed into his mouth when he bent down and kissed her back with more demand. She threw her arms around his neck, feeling his wrapping around her waist. They kissed passionately, both feeling the rush of emotions when they kissed again after such a long time. Fran buried her hands in his hair, stroking the back of his head gently. It felt so good to be with him again, she still felt that bond which brought them together in the first place and… could it be? Stronger than ever before?
Max tightened his embrace around her. It felt so good to hold her, but he didn’t really know why he did it. He had buried himself in work for the past four years, had felt guilty about only looking at other women. His grief for his lost wife was still so strong, but on the other hand he recognized that he still had feelings for Fran which came up to the surface again now that he was with her. But was he allowed to feel that way? Was it right?
He looked down into Fran’s eyes. Confusion was written all over her face and he sighed, glad he wasn’t the only one who was confused by all the emotions. They gazed into each other’s eyes, blocking everything around them out. He suddenly stopped, lifting her up so she sat on a basin. Then he leaned into her again, kissing her neck, her throat and working his way up to her ear. His breathing became faster, his hands going up and down her body. He longed to feel her body, longed to touch her. He pulled back, putting his hands on both sides of her face and leaned in to kiss her gently. Fran felt his hard member pressing up against her, she could feel how much he was aroused. And just then he nibbled on her earlobe, whispering. "Fran, I want you…"
She sighed with pleasure, tilting her head back to give him better access to her neck. Her arms around his shoulders, she held him tight. His touch was doing magic on her body and memories of lovemaking with him popped up in her mind. Just an hour ago she had thought about the last time she had actually had sex with a man… and now, she was locked in a restroom with one, practically about to do just what she’d sworn she’d never do. She wanted him so badly, just as much as he wanted her. "Max," she whispered. "I want you, too…" He looked into her eyes, kissing her on the mouth again. But when he felt nothing in return, he stopped, pulling back. Fran sighed, digging her fingers in his shirtfront and resting her head on his chest to regain sense. "But I can’t…" She whispered, lifting her head to look him in the eyes again.
"Why?" He asked, desire visible in his eyes.
"It’s… complicated." She stammered and felt his embrace loosen around her. She let her hands rest on his chest, trying to explain. "Don’t get me wrong, I really want to be with you…" She sighed, putting one hand on his cheek to gently stroke it. "It’s just happening so fast. We just met again… it wouldn’t be right…" Their gaze never broke, she just saw his eyes blinking from time to time. ".. and it’s been a long time." She whispered, looking on the ground when she hopped off the basin and stepped aside a little.
Max took her hands in his, squeezing them. "You’re right…" He remarked, smiling down on her. "We just met again… and I guess I got carried away." He admitted, his thumbs stroking the backs of her hands. "Come on, let’s go back to the party." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, wanting to guide her outside.
"Thanks Max, but I think I’ll go home now…" She didn’t look hurt, she didn’t smile, but he understood her completely.
"Whatever you want…" He told her, "… but Fran?" He stopped, holding on to her arm and turning her around.
"Yes?"
"I’d really like to see you again…" How could she say no to those eyes, that smile and to this man at all? She smiled a little, admitting secretly that she wanted to see him again, too. Now that she had met him after all those years, she couldn’t stand not seeing him again.
"I’d like that, too, Max." She said and pulled out a pen and piece of paper of her purse, scribbling down her number. "Call me, okay?" She then leaned forward, leaving a small peck on his lips. "Bye Max." She smiled and headed for the door. "Oh, I almost forgot…" She suddenly said, taking the papers and putting them into the trash. He looked at her and she smiled. "Bye." He said, grinning happily and waving like a little schoolboy.
Maxwell walked slowly out the door, watching her leave. It had felt so good holding her in his arms. He needed to see her again… he put the piece of paper into his pocket, went grabbing his jacket and hailed a cab, not wanting Jeffrey to drive this short distance with the limousine.
Fran opened the door of her car, got inside and rested her head against the steering wheel. She took a deep breath, it had taken her years to get over him and now he was there again. Suddenly. In her life. Damn it, she thought. But he had wanted her and she really had wanted to be with him, too. It felt like they had never been apart actually. Like there was a strong bond which linked them together. But there were so many things they had to talk and discuss about first. And she had sworn she wouldn’t be a one-night-stand, not even for Maxwell Sheffield. She just hoped it would work out this time… she just hoped so damn much.
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Maxwell was sitting in his office, going over some contracts. He couldn’t quite concentrate though, his thoughts were occupied with thoughts about last Friday’s incidents. He had met Fran again, the Fran he had met via an internet chatroom so many years ago. He couldn’t believe it when she stood in front of him, but the minute she had said hello, he knew it was her. Her voice was unique, but then he had loved it, like he had loved everything about her. He had lain awake that night after he got home, too awake to even think about sleep. She had felt so soft in his arms, her mouth so hot against his own. He couldn’t help himself, it was like he had never been without her. The desire was the same he had felt back then when they were so much in love, but he had changed, and she had changed, too. They had become more mature and they were older now. He had three children and lost his wife, he was a different man. He had to think about his children, he was responsible for them. And he couldn’t just go out and have fun…
Suddenly he wondered if his children would like Fran. He shook his head, how did this question appear in his head? She was his love of the past, now back again in his life, in the present. He didn’t know how things would continue between them. So thinking about the children and Fran getting along or not wasn’t important, at least for now. He would date her a few times, see how things work out and if they worked out, he would confront her with the family.
Friday they would be going out for the first time, he had called her this morning. He was nervous like a schoolboy, it had been so long since he had dated. Since his wife had died four years ago, he had buried himself in work, didn’t waste any time for having fun again, enjoying life. But that would change now, he was finally ready to be with a woman again and he was more than relieved it was Fran… because the night he got home he realized he had somehow never stopped loving her. He still had feelings for her and he hoped she had those feelings for him, too. Maybe they had been given a second chance…?
"Sir? Dinner is served." Niles announced, standing in the doorway. Max looked up from his papers and took off his glasses, smiling at his friend and butler.
"Thank you, Niles." He answered and stood up from his seat. After Sara had died he didn’t leave the office at all. He even ate there most of the time, leaving his children alone in the dining-room. But things had changed since last Friday, so he joined them again, asking them about their days and how they were feeling. He was determinded to change things… because the minute Fran stepped into his life he knew everything would change.
The kids seemed to like that, especially Grace, the little one. She loved her daddy very much, but spent way too much time with her therapist. She was six years old, the other kids named Maggie and Brighton were 14 and 10. Nannies took care of them the whole day while Max was busy. But he was determinded to spend more time with his children again, he was ready to move on.
"Hello children." Maxwell greeted his kids and sat down on his usual seat.
"Hi Dad."
"Hello Daddy."
"Hello Father."
They greeted them back and smiled up at him. "Say dad, why is it you don’t eat in your office anymore?" This from Brighton, the only son.
Maxwell placed his napkin on his lap and looked up at his son afterwards. "Well Brighton, I’ve thought things over and I want to spend more time with you children again." The girls were happy and cheered, but Brighton didn’t give up so easily.
"Why? I mean… you didn’t care for us the last four years…" He said and earned an angry stare from Gracie.
"Brighton!" Maggie shouted, "You should be happy about father joining us again!" She looked over to Gracie who nodded, then at her father and brother again.
"Mags, it’s not that I’m not happy about it… I’m just curious why things are going to change all of a sudden." He stated, looking expectantly at his father.
Maxwell cleared his throat, then said, "Children, I know I haven’t spend much time with you and I’m deeply sorry for that. But last Friday I met someone very special and I realized that things change over the years and although I love your mother very very much, I can’t get her back. So we have to manage life somehow and that’s why I want to spend more time with you. I want to make things right now and be a part of your lives again."
"It’s a woman, isn’t it?" Maggie asked with a slight grin on her face.
"Excuse me, Margaret?" Max looked at her flabbergasted.
"The person you met Friday. It’s a woman, right?" She tried to explain her thoughts to her father.
Max cleared his throat once again and spoke to all of them. "Yes, I met a woman. I didn’t want to tell you already, but I’ll meet her again Friday."
"Is she pretty?" Gracie wanted to know.
"Yes, Sweetheart, she’s very pretty." Max smiled at his youngest, she was so innocent yet so smart it scared him sometimes.
"Are we going to meet her Friday?" Brighton asked.
"Well… do you want to meet her?" Max asked in return.
"Yes!" They said in unison.
Max was surprised. His three children agreed on something, such situations were very rare. Although he had decided not to scare her away with family on the first date, he couldn’t wait for his children to meet her. "Well, then I’ll make sure you three meet her." He told them, "But enough for now, let’s eat, shall we?" The kids nodded and grinned at each other, then they ate in silence. Maggie already loved that woman, she was the reason her dad spent time with them again after all. She couldn’t wait for Friday to come.
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Fran was pacing the floor in her apartment nervously. Max had called the other day, telling her they would go out to have some dinner, afterwards watching a movie. So she had dressed casually that evening, putting on a pair of jeans and a blouse, combined with a blazer. Her hair was pulled up, single strains of it framing her face.
Suddenly the doorbell rang and she glanced around in her apartment one last time. She grabbed her purse and keys and walked over to the door, opening it to find Max standing in front of her, smiling brightly.
"Good evening." He offered her, leaning against the doorframe, smiling.
"Good evening yourself," she answered. Fran felt her heart starting to beat faster, she felt like she was a nervous teenage girl just before her first real date. She watched him looking her up and down, his eyes sparkling and she was sure he loved what he was seeing.
"You look beautiful, absolutely breathtaking." He said, staring into her eyes.
Fran felt wonderful, long time no such words from a man. "Thanks." She answered, blushing slightly. What was it about this man that made her blushing all the time? Normally she was the tough woman, not afraid of telling a man her opinion about him. But with Max she felt like losing control every time she saw him… head spinning, cheeks blushing and knees just about to give in.
"So, erm, ready to go?" Max asked, breaking the awkward tension between them, offering her his arm to link it with hers.
"Yeah, sure." Fran grinned, closing the door behind her, locking it and walking down the stairs with him.
+ + + + + +
"Max, where are we?" Fran looked out the window, staring up a beautiful mansion, then back at him again, but he was already walking around the car, opening her door.
"It’s my house," he said, helping her out. She gasped, she had never seen a house as great as his. All the years of hard work in the theater business must have paid off pretty well, she thought.
"Wow, I’m impressed." She walked a few steps, turning. "So why we’re here?" She wanted to know and looked at him. Max locked the car and walked over to her, his hand resting on her right upper arm.
"My children wanted to meet you first," he explained, "So I thought we’d go in there, you say hello and then we’ll be leaving for dinner and a movie, how’s that?" He came closer, his hands resting on her hips, his breath on her skin.
Fran gazed into his olive-green eyes, she could lose herself in them. They were sparkling with excitement, surely about what his children would think of her. She couldn’t say no, she loved children, happy to babysitt her sister’s children every time she was needed. And she was excited to meet Max’ kids. "Okay, let’s go." She answered, brushing his lips just a tad, then grabbing his hand, pulling him after her to the door.
Once inside, Fran couldn’t believe her eyes. The huge staircase, the very big living-room,… everything looked amazing. She took in everything she saw very carefully, stepping just a few steps forward. "It’s wonderful, Max." She turned around, seeing him smile with pride. "You certainly got a big name in the theater business." She grinned happily, happy for him, for his dream coming true.
He took the few steps that separated them, cupping her chin with his palm. "Remember that evening when my first big show had premiere?" She nodded slightly, so he continued. "I was a nervous wreck… but you said they’d love it and they did…" He looked at her so full of love, she was sure he’d have kissed her when they hadn’t noticed the footsteps coming down the stairs.
Fran’s gaze shifted to the huge staircase to her left. Maxwell’s eyes following hers. Grace, Brigthon and Margaret were slowly coming down the stairs, eyeing Fran carefully. "Hi." Fran greeted them happily, walking over to where they were standing now. "I’m Fran."
"Hello."
"Hi."
"Nice to meet you."
They said one after another. Maxwell walked after Fran, introducing his kids to her. "This is Grace, Margaret and Brighton." He smiled, "Children, this is Fran."
"So you are the lady our dad’s going out with?" The little girl wanted to know. Fran bent down to be at the little girl’s height, smiling at her and said.
"Yes angel, I’m going out with your daddy tonight." She cupped Gracie’s chin, winking at her. Maxwell watched in astonishment, normally Grace wasn’t that good with strangers, it surprised him. Fran turned to Maggie and Brighton. "Hi Maggie. Hi Brighton." Watching all three of them, her gaze shifted to Gracie again. "Gracie, I see you’re the little one here, huh? I was the little one, too. I’ve got a big sister and I tell ya, she could drive me crazy sometimes." The little girl’s eyes sparkled, she already loved this lady.
"We’re getting along pretty well, don’t we Gracie?" Maggie said, extending her hand to Fran. "Hi Fran."
Fran squeezed Maggie’s hand slightly, then she heard the boy talk. "Do you like children?" He wanted to know, looking her right in the eye, arms crossed in front of his chest.
"Brighton!" Fran heard Max say, a bit louder than might have been necessary.
"Max, Max… it’s alright." She said, smiling at him, then turning to Brighton. "I love children… my sister’s got twins, they are tough sometimes, but I love them." She answered watching the boy’s face soften a bit. Then she heard Gracie talk again…
"Are you planning to marry our dad?" Gracie asked as innocently as she was. Before Fran could answer that question she heard Max stepping forward, saving her right in time.
"Now children, we don’t want to scare her away, do we? Now that you’ve met Fran, it’s time for bed" He told them, then he turned to Fran. "Are you hungry? Would you like to go now?" He asked, his hands squeezing hers, winking at her so the kids couldn’t see it.
"But daddy, can’t you stay here?" Gracie asked, pouting.
"Grace, Fran and I are on a date tonight, we want to spend some time together." He bent down to his little one, trying to explain to a six year old the issue of dating.
"You can stay with us, spending some time together. We could play games and watch TV…" She got excited, already looking forward to that. "Daddy? Pleaaaase…" She tried again, looking at Maggie and Brighton for support.
"Yeah dad, that will be fun. And we’ll get to know Fran better…" Brighton stated, looking at Maggie.
"We would spend some time as a family again…with you…" Maggie said, lowering her head.
Fran couldn’t stand seeing those kids hurt. She would have plenty of time dating Max, spending some time with him alone again. But those kids were more important that moment and they would certainly have some fun! And after the kids went to bed they would have some time alone anyway. "I think that’s a wonderful idea." Fran suddenly said, looking at the three smiling faces. Then she saw Max’ odd look. Turning to him, she said. "I mean, we’re still together then, aren’t we? And the kids really want to spend some time with you, it will be fun to watch TV and play games. I’m flattered you want to include me…" She smiled, looking more lovely than ever.
"Are you sure you don’t mind? I wanted to take you out for dinner and a movie, remember?" He remarked, smiling at the memories of their last time doing just that. She smiled even more, remembering clearly. Then she leaned into him, whispering.
"That’s really sweet, but we can do that another time." She leaned back, winking at him and walked over to the kids. Now Max was standing opposite of them all, alone. He just had to give in and say yes. "Come on, Max. It will be fun." Fran grinned, holding Gracie’s hand tight.
Looking at those lovely and happy faces opposite him, he just couldn’t say no. So he sighed and said: "Alright, let’s have some family fun tonight." The kids and Fran cheered, hugging each other and jumping up and down with delight. While the kids started running towards the living-room, Fran walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Their eyes locked, hundreds of thoughts passed between them. They both knew they needed to talk, but not tonight.
She kissed him on the cheek and whispered into his ear. "I really don’t mind." Then headed for the living-room, joining the kids.
+ + + + + +
"No way! You’re cheating!" Brighton got up from where he was sitting, looking down on everybody else. "I don’t wanna play anymore!" He crossed his arms in front of his chest and sat down on the sofa, looking snuffy.
Fran, Max and the girls were laughing. Fran had noticed Brighton was cheating, so she got back at him by doing the same. They were having a great time, playing Monopoly and having snacks. Fran realized the boy couldn’t manage to lose and he was playing unfair… "Come on Brighton, you did the same thing to Maggie, your father and me. I’m surprised ya didn’t fool Gracie…" Fran got up from the ground, walking over to have a talk with him. "Don’t ya think it’s just fair that I noticed and did the same with you?" Fran cupped his face, smiling at him.
"Man Fran, I’ve always cheated, nobody noticed before… and then you walk into that door, play Monopoly with us for the first time and… convict me…" He said, looking at her apologetically. Fran just grinned, Brighton was about the same age as Nadine’s twins… and they were playing tricks on her all the time. She knew how to handle them.
"Okay B, I’m sorry. But it’s just fair… no wonder you’re always winning when you’re secretly stealing money out of the bank…" She took his hands and squeezed them, trying to make it okay again. "Look, let’s quit playing Monopoly… we wanted to watch a movie anyway, alright?" She moved one finger under his chin, lifting it so he had to look into her eyes.
"Alright…but I’ll chose which movie…" He jumped up to his feet, running towards the television and videorecorder, followed quickly by Gracie. Maggie and Max were still sitting on the ground in the middle of the living-room, the game on the table. Fran got down on her knees again to help them clean up the game.
"I’m impressed," Max said, leaning into her so only she could hear it. Fran smiled at him, his breath tickling on the skin below her ear. She was actually feeling pretty comfortable with the Sheffield family… like she belonged here somehow. And the warm feeling every time Max had looked at her so lovingly during the game she started to like.
"Nah… that was nothing!" Grabbing the board, she put it into the box. "So Gracie?" She started to get up from the ground, "What do you say about preparing sundaes for everyone? No way are we gonna watch a movie without sundaes…" Walking a few steps into Gracie’s direction, the girl suddenly turned around as quickly as possible, grabbed Fran’s hand and jumped up and down in excitement.
"Yeah… come on Fran, let’s go!" She pulled Fran after her, but Max started to protest.
"Gracie Sweetheart, Fran’s our guest… I’ll go with you…" But they were already half way to the kitchen.
"It’s okay, Max. Gracie and I are going to fix dessert while you three prepare the sitting area…" She blew him a kiss and was gone. Maxwell looked after her, lost in thoughts. She hadn’t really changed a bit. She was as impulsive and lovable as she had been when they were teenagers…
"So children, what do you think?" Max turned around to his two oldest, using the opportunity to ask them about their first impression of Fran. Maggie and Brighton looked at each other, smiling.
"She’s cool, Dad. You should hire her as our nanny…" Brighton told his father. "I mean, she’s really talking to us and playing and stuff, you know?" Max listened carefully, nodding his head.
"Yes, she’s fun to be around… and she seems to care about what we want." Maggie said, throwing several pillows on the floor to prepare the sitting area.
Max studied his children, they seemed to like her. "And you two are really feeling that way and are not just saying this because of me?" He wanted to be sure… because he cared about his children even if it hadn’t looked like that most of the time in the past years.
"Yes." They said in unison. Max smiled, hugging his children tight just when Fran came back with Gracie.
"Ice-cream!!!!!" Fran announced while carrying a huge plate of sundaes. "There’s something for everybody, so no arguing about who gets which!" She said, placing the plate on the table and looking directly at Brighton.
"What?" He laughed, "I didn’t do anything!" He defended himself quickly.
"Yeah, but you would have…" Fran tousled his hair, smiling down on him. "So where are we sitting? On the ground?" She looked around, Maxwell sitting on the sofa while Maggie was on the floor already.
"Gracie, Mags and I are going to lay on the floor while you and dad have the sofa for yourselves…" Brighton winked at his father which didn’t go unnoticed by Fran. She shook her head: Men!!! Then she looked over to Max again who was patting the place next to him with his hand, so she plopped herself down, making herself comfortable.
"A girl could get used to this… it’s really comfortable." She told Max, hugging a pillow while her head was leaned against the back of the sofa, turned to him. "Hi…" She whispered, a slight smile on her face.
"Hi yourself…" He answered, moving closer to her. He took her left hand and entwined it with his, kissing the back of hers barely. "You are amazing…" He whispered, their faces so close that she could feel his breath on her lips. She just smiled in response, feeling him coming closer.
"Ahem…" They suddenly heard and quickly pulled apart. "We would like to start watching the movie…" Maggie said, grinning from one ear to the other.
"Yes, of course, Margaret. Go on…" Max felt a tad embarassed, pulling his hand back but soon relaxed when Fran tightened her grib around his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder. He looked down on Fran and kissed the top of her head, pulling her closer by placing an arm around her shoulder. He sighed secretly, this was actually feeling pretty good.
About two hours later Max heard someone snoring… but not just one person. He looked down on Fran who was sleeping quietly in his arms, feet cradled up on the sofa, her hands holding tight to his shirtfront. Then he looked over to where his children were lying on the floor, not moving anymore. He assumed they must have fallen asleep. So he tried to free himself from Fran’s embrace without waking her and walked over to his children. Leaning down he carefully woke Maggie. "Margaret, Sweetheart, it’s time you go to bed." He felt her stir, looking around.
"Okay…" She whispered, waking Brighton and Gracie. Soon they were on their feet, yawning and wishing their dad a good night. "Good night, daddy, thanks for spending time with us." Maggie said, placing a kiss on his cheek.
"Night daddy!" Gracie whispered, spreading her arms for a hug.
"Night dad," Brighton said, "don’t do anything stupid. We like her." He winked at his father, then followed his siblings upstairs.
Max remained in his tracks, watching his three beautiful children going up the stairs, waving. A smile formed his lips. He felt wonderful to have spent the evening with them. They had so much fun as a family, but he felt awful that he had neglected them for the past years. He couldn’t turn back time, he knew that, but he could try to be a better father from now on. Who would have guessed that running into Fran meant so much to him and his family? Certainly not him. But he was thankful for that… it made him realize that he had some kind of responsibility towards his beloved children. Could it be a coincidence only? He started to doubt that…
After staring into nowhere for an eternity, he blinked and slowly turned towards Fran who was still sleeping peacefully on the couch. She looked like an angel, her hair spred all over the pillow which she held tightly, a smile on her lips while she lay there. Max walked slowly back to the couch, sitting down in front of her on the table. He studied her carefully, she was a vision. So very beautiful… her eyes, her mouth, even her nose. He giggled quietly, so very much like when she was eighteen years old. He reached out to gently stroke her cheek with his finger, tracing her chin and lips. He couldn’t believe she was real… wouldn’t have thought to ever see her again after their break-up so many years ago. He remembered quite well, he had said some stupid things… or better, one stupid sentence… It’s just a game for you, isn’t it? A shiver ran down his spine, remembering it like it was yesterday… they had celebrated her 19th birthday… had so much fun, were so very much in love! He was so happy to have found the woman to marry, the woman to raise children with, the woman to spend a life with… at least that was what he thought she was. Until she said she wanted to go away for one year. One very long year, he remembered.
Suddenly Fran began to stir, opening her eyes slowly. It took her a few seconds to remember where she was. "Max?" She asked surprised, "What…?" She trailed off, noticing that she lay on the couch in the dimly lit living-room. Max slightly touched her upper arm, then pulling his hand back again.
"You fell asleep while watching the movie. I’m happy you felt so much at ease and safe here to fall asleep…" He said gently, taking her in. Fran sat up slowly, pushing the pillow away. A smile formed her lips.
"You know I feel safe in your arms…" She whispered, sitting up straight after bringing her feet to the floor in front of the sofa, then meeting his eyes. A thousand unspoken thoughts hang in the air and then he reached out for her again like he had done just seconds ago. Cupping her cheek with his hand, he tenderly stroke her cheekbones with his thumb. Fran felt a jolt of elecricity rush through her at his touch. Such an innocent one, yet so intimate. Fran sighed at the feeling of his touch, leaning her head into his palm even more. "Oh Max…" She whispered, placing her hand over his, then turning her head to kiss the inside of his hand. Her lips felt soft against his palm and he slowly turned his hand to take her smaller hand in his larger one, entwining their fingers. They both looked down, it fit perfectly. Then their eyes met again and Max couldn’t quite figure out what she felt. Was it joy? Or fear? Did she want to feel the way he hoped she did? Did she dare to love him again? Suddenly he realized the tears which were forming in her eyes.
"Fran, what is it?" He asked quietly, trying to meet her gaze. Fran sat very still, she didn’t want to think about it, it was too painful for her. She had managed so good with the past, but now, being with Max who treated her so wonderfully, everything came back up to the surface, like it had happened yesterday. She walked slowly through the entrance of the building. She couldn’t wait to tell him, she was nearly bursting. Unlocking the door, she threw her keys on the counter. "Honey, I’m home." She cried out for him, walking through the apartment in search of him. "Chris, are you there?" She tried again, walking to their bedroom. Opening the door she abruptly stopped when she saw him. He was sitting in the huge armchair next to the window, staring into nowhere with a piece of paper in his right hand. He looked tired and pale. "Honey, what’s wrong?" She asked, making her way over to where he was sitting, wondering if he had left the house at all today. It took him a few minutes to come out of his reverie. Blinking, he finally looked at her. "Chris, what’s the matter?" She sat down on the bed opposite of him, her hands resting on his knees. Chris didn’t know how to tell her. She cared for him so much, no, loved him, and he was happy to have her in his life. Telling her would devastate her… He formed a weak smile, "Nothing’s wrong. How was your day?" He managed to say, folding the piece of paper to safely put it away. Fran didn’t believe him, she knew Chris. She knew something was up… "Don’t try to fool me, Chris, tell me what’s wrong." She reached for his left hand to hold it between her hands. He looked down on their hands, then back into her eyes again. "I can’t…" He suddenly said, pushing himself up from the seat. Fran sat, dumbfounded. He couldn’t tell her? Why? She watched him exiting the room and quickly followed, grabbing his upper arm from behind to stop him in the hallway. "You can’t tell me? What relationship is this when you can’t tell me everything?" She stared at him like forever, getting more impatient with every second ticking by. "Now tell me already!" She pleaded and his heart went out to her… "I have leukemia." She pressed her eyes closed to erase the sudden pain she felt in her heart. Reaching for her chin, Max tilted her head to face him with his index finger. One moment she was full of happiness and life, the other she was sad and he didn’t know why. "Fran, are you alright?" Fran opened her eyes again, staring into the most beautiful and concerned green pools she’d ever seen. Max. Her mind was working in overdrive. How could she tell him? How could she tell him about Chris?
Sniffing, she wiped away the tears. "Nothing, Max. It’s okay…" She answered, her lips forming a smile. "I’m fine, really." She reached for his hands, squeezing them. But she could see that he wasn’t convinced yet.
"Are you sure?" He asked instead, looking into her eyes like he could find the answer there. Why was she so upset? Had he done anything wrong? And as if she had read his mind, she cupped his cheek.
"You haven’t done anything wrong, okay?" She then leaned forward, leaving a slight kiss on his lips. When he opened his eyes again she suddenly stood up, walking a few steps away from the couch, then turning around to face him. "It’s late… I think I’ll go home now." They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, millions of thoughts unspoken. Max pushed himself up from the table, guiding her towards the door with his hand flat on her back. He knew something was wrong, that something bothered her. But he also knew that he had to give her time. Time to regain the close relationship they once shared. To regain her trust.
"I’ll see you home." He simply said and together they left the residence quietly.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Turning her head slowly, she read the figures on her alarm clock. 3:47am. Damn it, she thought. She had turned around for a thousand times already, but she couldn’t sleep. Thoughts about the past were haunting her. She had thought it wasn’t bothering her anymore… but how could she even think that? She had loved him, had loved him so damn much. And he was taken from her without a reason… meeting Chris was like meeting an angel. He was her hero back then when she returned from Africa. He had shown her how beautiful Central Park looked like when overlooking it early in the fall during sunset. Had always been there for her when she needed someone’s shoulder to cry on. He was there when she needed him the most… and he hadn’t turned his back on her, no matter what she did or say or...
Staring at the ceiling, her hands folded behind her head, she swallowed hard. Single tears were streaming down her face… who would have guessed meeting Max again would stir up so many emotions? Feelings which had nothing to do with her relationship to him. She remembered her heart jumping a bit when she had seen him again weeks ago. She had always loved reading about him in the news, had loved the critics. Moreover, she was proud of him for becoming such a famous producer. But seeing him again had topped everything…
Going to South Africa meant starting from zero, beginning a new life. When they had broken up, her world had broken down on her. But being so far away from him, not able to give in, had helped her to get through the pain… she had started to believe that she was over him when she returned to New York. But back in the city, seeing all those places which were special for her again, the tears didn’t seem to stop once they started to stream. Chris had stumbled into her that day, asking her what was wrong. He stepped into her life when she needed someone and this someone had helped to ease her pain. Now her heart cried out for Chris, for his gentle feature, for his more than tender touch and love. Sobbing, she realized once again that he wasn’t here anymore. Holding on to her pillow tight, she pressed her eyes closed. "Why did you leave me?" She whispered.
But an angel belongs to heaven, doesn’t he?
+ + + + + +
"Kay Frannie, enough for now… go get something to eat for yourself." Toddy stood in the doorway, peeking in to watch his favorite cousin doing her job. She looked very busy, a piece of paper in her right hand, a pen in the left. Slowly she looked up, giving him her million dollar smile.
"Yeah Toddy, just a sec…" She assured him, her eyes travelling back to the paper again.
"Okay cousin, but you betta be gone when I return!" He laughed and shut the door behind him. It was always the same with her… although he really appreciated that Fran took her job so seriously, she was working too hard. Ever since… he shook his head to dismiss this thought. He was sure she was over that already.
Back in Fran’s office, she was still eyeing the design carefully. Something wasn’t right here, but she couldn’t figure out what it was yet. Totally busy with her work she didn’t even recognize the soft knock on her office door until suddenly the door was opened.
"Fran?" Max peered into her office, opening the door slowly.
Fran’s head shot up immediately, his voice brought her out of her concentration. He looked handsome as always, dressed in a black suit with a very elegant matching green tie. After looking him up and down for a few seconds, she finally met his eyes which seemed to dance at the sight of her. "Hiya." She greeted him, lowering the paper to the desk and putting her pen down. "What are you doing here?" She pushed herself out of her seat, walking around the desk into his direction.
Max came in and closed the door behind him. Walking over to her to get a hold of her hands, he squeezed them slightly and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Hi… I wanted to ask if you’re free for lunch?" He grinned, looking her up and down. "You look great."
Fran felt some heat rushing through her body. She so loved him complimenting her, it made her feel so special. And now he was here to ask her out for lunch? "Thanks and I would love to join you." She leaned into him, her forehead resting against his. "I have to get out of here anyway.. if Toddy comes back and finds me still here, well… let’s just say it would be a nasty scene to watch." She giggled, tugging at his tie playfully. "Hmm… you smell delicious." She whispered, rubbing her nose sweetly against his own. She didn’t know what was wrong with her actually. She so much wanted this man, was sure somehow that she really wanted to be with him in every single way possible. But then her thoughts always seemed to drift back to some similar scenes with Chris and everything was lost… Max was her first love, her first real relationship with a man… but Chris was her last… and she had lost both of them once… Chris even forever…
Max didn’t know how to understand Fran’s acting. One moment she was all kissy and huggy, the other she was pushing back, building a wall around herself for god only knew what reasons. He was determinded to find out why she was this way… why she was so much like the Fran he met 14 years ago, but why she wasn’t really like her anymore… and what the reasons were for that change. Not able to resist, he leaned forward to kiss her lips. "Hmm… and you taste delicious." He stared into her eyes for an eternity, until he spoke again. "Let’s get something to eat before I can’t manage to behave myself anymore at all here with you, alone in an office I might add." He winked sexily at her and Fran had a hard time to hold herself back.
Loosening her embrace around his waist, she took his hand in hers. "Okay, let’s go… do you have a special place in mind?" And together they marched out of Fran’s office and into the busy New York City afternoon traffic.
+ + + + + +
"So, tell me, did you enjoy the stay over at my house? The children really loved that you joined us Friday." Max held out the chair for Fran to sit down, then walked around the table to seat himself opposite from her. They were eating at a diner on Broadway, nothing fancy, but nothing that screamed ‘fast food’ either. It was actually not that crowded and really comfortable.
Fran placed her purse on one of the chairs which was empty next to them and then looked at him. "Oh yeah, Max. I loved it… your kids are great and I think we were getting along pretty well." She beamed at him, grabbing one of the menus which were put on the table.
"Yes, I also thought you hit it right off with them… they are normally so reserved with strangers." He had loved to watch Fran interacting with his children. If things had gone another way, those children would be… no, it was wrong to think about that. Things had chosen that way and it was good how it was. "Fran…," Maxwell actually hadn’t wanted to ask her already, but it seemed like a good moment. "Actually I wanted to wait to ask you this… but, my children and I are going on a weekend trip to the mountains and they asked if you wanted to join us. They really like you, Fran, and it would make them happy if you accepted our invitation." He knew he played dirty, but he didn’t care. Playing the guilt card was certainly a good way to get her to accept. And he really wanted her to come with them… they would have so much fun. And there was still this conversation both of them were pushing away which they had to have. He looked at her full of expectation. Would she say yes? Or no? Right now he couldn’t make out what she was thinking at all.
Fran looked up from the menu right into his lovely green eyes. They were pleading her, she could see it so obviously. Spending a weekend with Max and his kids? She couldn’t think of anything more fun than that… but was this such a good idea?! Fran felt like she couldn’t breathe anymore, like there was no oxygen in the whole house. Did he just say what she thought he’d said? Dropping her hand from his arm, she blinked once. Then twice, until she looked at him again. "What?" Chris could see her confusion, her fear, her pain. He took her hand in his and stroke it gently. Single tears were streaming down his face, and he repeated. "I have leukemia, Frannie." Her gaze was so empty, like she didn’t really see him anymore. Like she was seeing a ghost actually. Fran felt like somebody had just shot her. Her heart was aching so hard, tears were beginning to stream freely down her cheeks, smearing her mascara. Suddenly she threw herself into his arms, holding on to him tightly, never letting him go. Crying like she hadn’t cried for ages, she couldn’t seem to stop. Chris stroke her head, calming her with his touch. But she didn’t want to calm down! She wanted to throw things, she wanted to kick things, she wanted to… what? She clung to him desperately for what seemed like an eternity, until he felt her breathing to become slower and he dared to lean back to look into her beautiful brown pools. He was sure he looked just as terrible as her, but that didn’t matter. "It will be alright, Frannie. I promise." He whispered, rubbing away her tears from her cheeks. "How can you say that? You are sick!" Again, some tears were running down her beautiful face and she was almost crying once more. Tipping her head up to meet his gaze, he leaned forward to kiss her tenderly, then stared into her eyes so full of love. "I promise." He whispered against her lips… Seeing Max’ strange look she noticed the waiter next to her, asking her if she had decided yet. "I’m sorry, I…er... would like number 31 with low fat dressing and a diet coke, thanks." She folded the menu back together and put it down in front of her, looking back at Max.
"What was that about?" He asked curiously, how long had she actually been lost in her reverie?
Acting like she didn’t know what he meant, she asked, "What?"
"Hello? Fran, you acted like you’ve seen a ghost… you were certainly lost in thoughts for about five minutes." He looked concerned, leaning over the table to touch her hand. "Are you not feeling okay? Shall we go?"
Oh, this lovely man. He was so concerned, was caring so much for her well-being. Smiling, she said, "I’m fine, Max. Thank you… and about the offer you made." She paused, "I’ll think about it." She finally answered, because she couldn’t answer right away. She was so unsure about this, was so unsure about her whole relationship with Maxwell. Somehow she was drawn to him like a moth to the light, but could she dare to fall in love with this man again? Because love hurts, she learned the hard way. Twice.
His face lit up again and she was glad he didn’t notice how much she pulled herself together to not start crying uncontrollably in front of him. "Of course, take all the time you need to think about it." He touched her hand, squeezing it. Just then the lunch was brought to their table and they ate and chatted like in old times.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
It was two weeks later, Friday afternoon, when Fran ran around her apartment to throw the final things into her suitcase. She had thought about Max’ offer, and she had accepted. She had concidered all the things which were rushing through her mind and there was just no real reason why she should tell him she wouldn’t or better couldn’t go. So she had called Max about three days later, telling him she was really looking forward to spending the weekend with him and his children somewhere in the mountains.
And here she was now… standing in front of her huge suitcase, she wondered if she had forgotten anything.
Hair drier? Check.
Make-Up? Check.
Toothbrush? Check.
Sexy underwear? ... Sexy underwear? She giggled, but ‘Check.’ anyway.
Totally concentrated, her right index finger was tipping against her chin. She studied everything again and she was sure everything she needed was in there. They were only spending a weekend away and she had the biggest suitcase imaginable ready packed to emigrate. She laughed at that thought and had a look at her watch. 8:23am. Max had said they’d pick her up at 8:30… so they would be there any minute. Closing the zipper of the suitcase, she tried to lift it up and almost failed. She giggled, maybe Max should carry it downstairs. Clapping her hands together in success, she heard the doorbell ring and immediately walked over to the door, buzzing them in.
A couple of minutes later the whole Sheffield family was standing in her apartment, the kids’ eyes widened in astonishment, Max’ eyes locked with Fran’s. "Good morning." He greeted her, leaving a quick peck on her lips.
Fran felt that warm feeling spreading out in her stomach again every time he touched her. She had felt that before, but long ago. Feeling it again scared her somehow, but it felt just so good, too. "Good morning, ya really exactly on time, huh?" She giggled, caressing the hair in the back of his head with her right hand, the other one was placed flat on his chest. But before he could do or say anything else, she let go off him and turned into the direction of the children. "Hey kids, ya ready to go?"
Maggie was sitting on the couch, Brighton was touching a vase and Gracie was standing in front of a cupboard, eyeing the pictures which were placed on it. "Fran, who’s this?" She pointed to a person in the picture next to Fran, arms tightly wrapped around her. Smile next to smile. Fran’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open in a gasp, she immediately walked over to her and tried to get her away from the cupboard.
"Some…friend, Sweetie. Now, shall we go?" She tried to hide her uncertainty, but it didn’t go unnoticed by Max. If he could just… "Max?" Fran waved her hand in front of his face, "Could you carry my suitcase downstairs?" She smiled at him, gesturing towards the huge rectangular thing next to the couch.
"Are you serious?" Max laughed, "Fran, we’ll only be gone for the weekend…" He covered his mouth with his right hand, hiding his shocked expression which was clearly visible. How did women always manage to pack more things than actually necessary? And this… this was immense! He wondered what it weighed…
"Hey… I’m a woman. What did you expect?" She laughed, punching his left arm playfully. She loved to joke with him, to have fun with him like they used to have. It made her feel comfortable and safe. Like there hadn’t been any sad moments in her whole life. Three weeks already. Three long weeks. One day seemed longer than the other. And she didn’t turn away from his side. She stayed there, held his hand, tried to show him that she cared. Cared more than anybody in the whole world. She was sure they would have married one day. Would have had some great kids. A boy with brown hair just like his and her eyes. And a girl with her curly black hair and his blue eyes. Those eyes… she could lose herself in them. But lately she had seen few of them… he was getting weaker every passing day. And although the doctor told her that he’d have a few more weeks to live, Fran knew in the next couple of days she’d lose him… lose him forever for reasons she didn’t know, reasons she was sure of didn’t exist… "Why? Why did you have to choose him? Why, oh why…?" She whispered, looking at the ceiling and kissing his hand which she held tightly. Then she lowered her gaze, rubbing her tummy. Swallowing hard, she broke down into tears.
+ + + + + +
"Alright everybody, here we are." Max gave the door a slight kick and marched into the beautiful wooden house. Fran and the kids followed him, everyone of them looking around, taking everything in.
"Dad, this is so cool!" Brighton said, running over to the closed doors, opening them, peeking inside, then closing them again. Gracie and Maggie followed, running upstairs to search for their rooms. It was a beautiful house, bigger than Fran had expected. With the staircase in the middle of the room, you could look down from above. The hallway up there looked like a little balcony. At the first floor were actually only two rooms. The big living-area with a kitchen in the right corner and a table with chairs to sit down, and a door of which Fran was sure must lead to the bathroom. It looked perfect.
Max studied her. Did she like it? Then Fran turned towards him, on the verge of exploding. "Ohhh Max, it’s perfect." Touching his arm gently, she smiled brightly at him. "Who’s is it?" She took everything in, every detail. Walking around, she immediately fell in love with the fire place. "Oh my gosh, a fireplace… how romantic." She winked, pulling up one corner of her mouth to smile sheepishly.
Max’ eyes wandered over her body once again. Even with his children around he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She was simply beautiful, inside and out. Taking the few steps that separated them, he giggled. "It might come in handy later…" He winked back, his arms resting on her waist to hold her. Fran’s eyes lit up, but then he saw that mixture of emotions darken them again. She lowered her eyes, looking at his chest. He looked absolutely gorgeous in his tight jeans and sweatshirt, like he used to look… before they broke up. Tipping her head up to meet his eyes again with his index finger, he looked her deep in the eyes. "Fran, what is it? Everytime I think we’re going one step forward you seem to step two backwards. Don’t you want this? Us? Don’t you want to be with me? Because if you don’t I have to tell you that you don’t act like it at all…" Staring at him like forever, she swallowed hard and tried to explain.
"Max… I… it’s complicated." She sighed, her head resting against his chest.
"You’ve also said that the evening we met at the hotel…" He said, maybe a little bit louder than would have been necessary, stepping back a little. "But what does it mean? What’s so complicated? What causes this sudden change in your eyes every time I want to share something with you…?" He saw her struggle, her eyes flipping back and forth between the fireplace and him.
How could she explain? How could she tell him about it… about all of it? But just when she wanted to say something again, the kids came down the stairs. Looking up, they both saw the three children, excited to start the weekend. "Hey… were you two discussing something?" Brighton asked, looking back and forth between Fran and his dad. Something was up, he could tell. But he better don’t push it, they had discussed this upstairs… the three children were determinded to play matchmaker if necessary, but they had to give them time first.
"Yeah… but it can wait." Fran answered first, putting on one of her so well-known smiles. "So kids, let’s unpack, huh?!" She guided them over to the bags, then upstairs. Before she went upstairs though, she turned around slowly, looking at Max who was staring at her. She put down her bag, hurried over to where he was standing and cupped his cheek. "Later, I promise." She whispered against his lips, pressing her eyes closed as if she was trying to push back some tears. Then she turned around again, leaving him alone in the living-room.
+ + + + + +
"Ahaaaaa… this word doesn’t exist!" Brighton shouted, looking at his siblings for support. Gracie and Maggie looked as confused as their brother, but Fran and their dad were smiling and exchanging looks. They were playing Scrabble and Brighton was sure Fran was making up new words. What was mishpoche anyway?
"You don’t know what mishpoche means?" Fran asked surprised, grinning proudly at Maxwell who sat next to her, giggling. "Ask your father, maybe he still knows it." She grabbed some of the potato chips, chewing with great relish. "I taught him some Yiddish when we were younger." She tried to explain, having a sip of her juice afterwards.
"What do you mean, when you were younger? You two know each other?" Maggie looked back and forth between her father and Fran, eyes wide open with surprise. Fran felt a sudden kick in her stomach. Could it actually be that he hadn’t told his children? And when she looked at him once again, she was sure he hadn’t.
Max felt something strange deep down in his throat and he was sure the oxygen was rare in this room. He hadn’t told his children about their past because he thought it was the best that way. But now Fran had mentioned it and there was no turning back. But how to explain it to his children when even Fran and himself hadn’t discussed it ever again after all these years? Looking at her, he saw how sorry she felt. All those shared moments were rushing through his brain and he saw that Fran was experiencing the same. Memories hang in the air, unspoken things they had to discuss once and for all. Feeling four pairs of eyes focused on him, he turned his attention to his children and tried to explain. "Well… yes, Fran and I know each other." He cleared his throat, then continued. "We were in love when we were teenagers…" His eyes traveled to meet Fran’s again, staring at him.
"Why did you break up?" Gracie wanted to know, suddenly all eyes focused on her. Max felt uncomfortable and he could see Fran shifting her weight from one side to the other. What could he answer? Because Fran wanted to go away? Because she chose a life without him instead of spending it with him? He had to have that talk with her. Now. There was no other option. They had to talk about it, all of it, once and for all. He didn’t care if it took the whole night. If they wouldn’t get any sleep. They had to talk about it.
"It’s a long story, Sweetheart." Fran sighed, forcing a smile. These kids were so sweet, so precious. Would they understand why she left their daddy? Would they still like her if they learned about her past? About the things which happened between now and the break-up with their father?
"And we will tell you the story, but not tonight." Max interrupted, "It’s already late, why don’t you three get ready for bed." He said, starting to put the game back into the box.
The kids exchanged quick looks and knew when they had to leave the room. When they shouldn’t contradict. And the time was now. Somehow Fran and their father had something to discuss and maybe they would do just that after they went to bed. "Alright daddy, see you tomorrow." Maggie kissed her father goodnight, then wished Fran a goodnight as well. Grace and Brighton did they same and followed her upstairs.
Once they heard the door shutting close, Fran looked at Max apologetically. "Oh Max, I’m sorry. I thought you’ve told them." She reached out for his arm, but he stood up to put the game away, walking into the kitchen. She stared after him, but quickly followed. "Max? Are you angry with me now? I told you I was sorry. I didn’t meant to-"
"No, I didn’t tell them because I thought it didn’t matter." He turned around, facing her. Leaning against the counter, he folded his arms in front of his chest. "Does it matter?" He asked, his eyes never leaving hers. She walked over to the kitchen table, sitting down on one of the chairs.
"I think it does." She said quietly, lowering her eyes at her hands. "I mean, we can’t pretend we just met. It wouldn’t be right." She answered, looking back at him again. He didn’t say a word first. He was just staring at her, trying to read her thoughts, looking inside her, reading her soul.
"Do you think it’s better to remember hurtful things then?" He asked her in return, his eyes boring into her. If she thought it was right to remember hurtful things? She was sure you had to, you had to remember even the hurtful experiences of the past. They made you cry but you could not just forget about them.
"Do you want to tell me that you want to forget about the loss of your wife? Because it hurt you so much? Is that what you do? Suppressing the hurtful experiences?" She saw him getting tense, the conversation was heading a way he didn’t want it to head.
"I’m not talking about my wife, Fran, I’m talking about us and our history." He unfolded his arms, shoving them into his pockets. "I thought it didn’t matter to tell them because it’s nothing important for them to know. It was before I met their mother, so no need to tell them I once loved somebody else but her." Fran’s mind was working in overdrive. They were finally talking about it. But was she ready to share those things with Max?! She was dying to tell him on one side, but on the other.. she wasn’t sure. But if she wanted to be with him, she had to tell him. "Why did you go?" She suddenly heard Max’ voice again, only a whisper. When she looked up, he was standing in front of her, their eyes locking. "Why did you leave me?" He wasn’t smiling, he was just staring.
"Why I left you?" She asked, barely a whisper. She felt his hand on her shoulder, working its way up to her neck, then cheek. She felt that jolt of electricity again, his gentle touch was doing this to her. But she had to focus, had to concentrate. "I didn’t have a choice…" She finally answered, leaning into his palm slowly to feel his warm touch just a bit more.
She looked so vulnerable, yet so strong. She was driving him crazy just by sitting there. He had to touch her, but he also had to know the reason why. "Of course you had a choice…" He answered, tucking a single strain of hair behind her ear. "But why, Fran?" She looked into his eyes like forever. Again, there was this look in her eyes… that look he didn’t understand.
She felt the tears burning in her eyes and she knew once she gave in to that conversation she wouldn’t be able to stop. Swallowing one last time, she played with her fingers in her lap, looked down at them to think about how to start, then at him again. "Because I loved you…" She simply said, pushing herself up from the chair, walking over to the counter, both hands on it, her back to Max. "I loved you so damn much!" She whispered, "… I couldn’t believe this was happening to me. I… damn it, those few months were the best in my life and I… I didn’t want to leave you in the first place… my parents thought it was best. Hell, I was some young girl, Max. A teenager, 19 years old and they thought they knew what was best… when we celebrated my birthday, I was so happy. You were so kind and … you showed me how much you really loved me… at least, that was what I thought." She trailed off, turning around just to feel him standing behind her. He didn’t touch her, though his fingers itched to do so. He listened, just listened. She looked up at him, silence filled the room. "Why did you say it?" She whispered, her eyes never leaving his.
He knew immediately what she meant. The sentence which haunted his dreams for so long. The one thing he blurted out without thinking, afterwards he regretted it so much. But damn it, he was devastated. "You really mean that question?" He asked, and when she nodded, he stepped back a little again, gesturing around with his hands. "Damn it, Fran, you broke my bloody heart!!! That’s why I said it… first you told me how much you loved me, the next second you tell me you want to go to South Africa, for one year to top it all! I was devastated… I couldn’t believe it. I…" He looked at her at a loss of words. "I doubted you ever really loved me."
"But I did, don’t you understand?! That’s the reason why I thought it could work… because I was sure our love would have survived this year… because I thought you loved me so much to support me, to help me making things easier. Through chat conversation, phone calls, letters… all of it. And then you… you said that… that sentence and my whole world broke down." Single tears were running down her cheeks and she was busy wiping them away. Max’ mind was the one working in overdrive now. That didn’t make sense, now did it? First she told him she loved him, then she wanted to go to South Africa because she did love him so much?
"This doesn’t make sense… why would you want to leave someone you love?" He reached out for her face, cupping it in his hands.
"Because I didn’t have anything to do in New York anymore… because all the colleges didn’t want me, because school was over, because I had to do something afterwards and it was the only option that was left… I didn’t want to leave you, but somehow I did anyhow, you know?" She sniffed, he was stroking her softly and she was calming at his touch. "It was something I had to do for myself and I thought you would support me, even though that it meant being without each other for one more year…" She felt him coming closer and was dying to feel his lips on hers again. So she slowly closed her eyes and when they finally kissed, she sighed into his mouth, arms wrapping around his neck. She tilted her head slightly to deepen the kiss and when he suddenly pulled back, foreheads resting against each other, he was the one who spoke first.
"I didn’t mean what I said back then, Fran…" He apologized, after all these years he really apologized. "It wasn’t right to say something like that. I knew you loved me…" He smiled, his index finger drawing the edge of her chin. "But I was so angry then…" She nodded her head in understanding, then pushed him away with her hands flat on his chest.
"I know…" She said, "I was angry, too." She sighed, walking around him to head for the living-room. "But you left me when I needed you the most…" She said it barely audible for Max, "… just like him." She felt the big lump forming in her throat again and she was on the verge of crying. She tried to hurry away from Max, away from his touch and those mixed feelings which were only confusing her more, but he grabbed her wrist, forcing her to stop walking.
"Fran, what are you talking about?" He knew this must have something to do with her eyes darkening every once in a while for reasons he didn’t understand. He gently pulled her in his embrace, leaning her head against his chest, stroking it gently. "Tell me… I want to know." He pleaded, once again he managed to calm her down by just touching her right.
With the tears streaming freely down her cheeks, she managed some coherent words between sobbing and sniffing. "Chris…" She began, "I loved him…" He gave her time to say the things she wanted to say. He didn’t interupt her, just listened to what she had to tell. "After I came back from Africa I met him. I wasn’t really over you then, but Chris… he was my hero. He made me laugh when I needed it… he, well, he was my angel sent from above." He felt her smiling a bit against his chest. "We fell in love and were a couple for three years when…" The sobbing became stronger, he felt that it wasn’t easy for her to say what was coming next. "… when he told me he was sick." He tried to lean back, but she tightened the embrace around his waist. "He had leukemia… and died shortly after the diagnosis." Max couldn’t believe what he heard. She went through hell, just like he did when Sara died four years ago.
"Fran, I’m so sorry…" He told her his sentiments, looking down on her. When she leaned back to look him in the eyes, she saw pure love and it didn’t surprise her. She suddenly felt understood since a long time again, by this man, who went through hell losing his beloved wife and mother of his three children.
"I was pregnant with his child…" She whispered, staring into the distance. "It feels like it was yesterday…" Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. Fran woke to a nerv-wrecking sound coming from beside her. She was holding Chris’ hand tightly, hadn’t left his side for weeks. She fell asleep once again sitting by his side and when she saw the doctor and nurses running into the room, she was suddenly fully awake. "Wh-What’s the matter?" She asked the doctor who was checking on Chris. But she didn’t get a response. She saw everything happening in slow motion from that point on. The nurse who was coming to her, tugging her outside the room. The last glance she had of Chris, doctors and male nurses surrounding his bed. She saw the nurse’s mouth moving but she didn’t hear a word she said. All she knew was Chris was probably in there dying, and she wasn’t with him. Trying to get past the nurse again, Fran kicked and screamed like a little kid in the supermarket who didn’t get his favorite candy. The nurse stopped her, trying to calm her down. She couldn’t breathe anymore, did only see stars in front of her eyes. Her breathing was unregular and suddenly she felt a heavy kick in her stomach, like somebody had just hit her with a baseball bat. But suddenly she was in a room, lying in a bed, a doctor leaning above her, moving his mouth. And she immediately knew: something must be wrong… "Fran? Fran, can you hear me?" The doctor asked, looking at her, waving his hand in front of her eyes. She slowly nodded her head, but when she tried to push herself out of bed, she couldn’t move. "You fainted, Fran." The doctor began to explain, but didn’t get far when she asked: "Chris?" But when she saw the look on the doctor’s face, she felt the tears streaming down her cheeks all of a sudden. Although she knew this day would come, she had hoped it would be later. The doctor shook his head no and when she saw him whispering with a nurse beside him, disagreeing on something, she knew something else wasn’t right. "What?" She asked, her voice hardly audible. He glanced at the nurse, then back at her again. "Nothing, Fran. Get some rest. I’ll check on you later again." But when he just wanted to leave the room again, she grabbed his arm and turned him around. "What, doctor? Tell me…" She saw him struggling inside, looking back and forth between the nurse and her. But when he finally answered her question, her world broke down once more. "Fran, I’m sorry, but you lost your baby…" His face didn’t show any emotion. He just stared at her once more this evening. And suddenly, out of nowhere, he stepped forward to hug her tightly, as if life depended on it. She broke down into tears, crying like one of his children. "Oh Max…" She cried, "I miss him so much." He didn’t know what to say, he only knew the feeling too well. How many nights had he spent awake in his bed, wishing Sara was still there to share his life. He felt it was best to say nothing, so he just stood there, in the middle of the kitchen, hugging Fran tightly, calming her with his touch.
Suddenly, Fran lifted her head and their eyes looked once again. Staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity, she reached for his hair, tucking it behind his ear. Then she stroke his cheek and leaned forward, kissing him tenderly. When she pulled away, he guided her mouth back to his, kissing her back with more demand. Then, within seconds, he had her pushed back against the couch in the living-room, never breaking their liplock. He lowered her down onto the sofa, leaning above her, his weight supported on his elbows. Fran lost her hands in his hair while he covered her throat and décolleté with light kisses, his fingers tracing the seam of her shirt. Fran felt desire building inside her and she really wanted this, wanted him. But somehow... "Oh Fran..." Max sighed, pushing her shirt up to slightly kiss her bellybutton. He could feel her nipples tighten through the thin fabric and his arousal grew even more. He wanted her so much, wanted to show her that he cared about her. "I want you so much…" He whispered, massaging her breast through the fabric, pushing them high, then down again. "I want to make love to you…" Fran’s mind was spinning, those emotions she hadn’t felt for years and now, being with Max again she suddenly felt them again?! She felt that he wanted her and she loved his hands on her body, loved his lips on her skin even more. But could she bear to eventually be left by him? Would she be able to cope with that loss, with this kind of loss again. Losing someone she loves with all her heart and soul?! Pushing herself up from the position she was in, he looked at her dumbfounded.
"I can’t… not if I’m not sure." She whispered, seeing the confusion written all over his face. She wasn’t ready yet, he understood that. "Max, I’m sorry… I really want to be with you. So much." She took his hand in her and placed it over her heart. "Do you feel that? Don’t doubt that I want to be with you…" She said, a smile forming her lips for a short period of time, then she looked at him again seriously. "Don’t get me wrong… I knew you didn’t mean to leave me all those years ago… but… I’ve been left by two men I loved with all my heart and I couldn’t bear giving you my heart if you leave me again…" Now he understood. She was afraid. Afraid of being left behind. On her own. Afraid of being left when she needs someone very much.
Looking at her so full of love, he gently stroke her cheek with the back of his hand. "Oh Fran, I don’t mean to leave you this time… I believe we’ve been given a second chance and I intend to do everything right this time. I won’t leave you again." He sighed, then added. "I love you, Fran. Have loved you since we first met, all those years ago." He then leaned over, kissing her passionately. When he broke away, he held her by her shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes. "Do you give us one more chance? Do you give me another chance? I promise I’ll do it right this time." He smiled, waiting for a response. Had he just said he loved her? Fran felt this wonderful feeling in her stomach like she had twice before once again. And it felt incredible. Now that he had confessed his love for her, she knew she loved him, too. Had loved him since the day they’d met.
"Oh Max, I love you, too…" She whispered, "and yes, I’ll give us one more chance." Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him close and kissed him for all he was worth.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Epilogue
Turning around slowly, she wrapped her arm around his waist. Oh, how she loved to sleep on his chest. It was the most comfortable pillow anyone could imagine. Opening her eyes slowly, she almost screamed when she saw those olive green pools staring at her, his lips pulled into a smile. She yawned, shifting a bit, then smiled back at him. "What are you doing up?" She asked, tickling the soft hair which were starting below his belly button and disappeared into his trousers. When he didn’t say anything, she looked him in the eyes again. "What’s the matter?" She whispered, starting to leave butterfly kisses on his chest. Max’ hand started stroking up and down her back, he loved having her so near. "You know what I don’t understand?" He asked out of nowhere. Fran almost didn’t hear his question. "What?" She continued her way downwards. But just before she reached her goal, he stopped her and turned her head to face him. "How you can look so bloody beautiful so early in the morning…" He took one strand of hair between his fingers, he loved her hair. "I love you, Fran." He confessed once more, like he had proved those last ten months. He had been wonderful. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was to have met him once again. To be given a second chance of happiness with this great guy she fell in love with so many many years ago. And now, here she was, in his bed, with him by her side… a ring on her finger and a baby on the way. Could life get any better? "I love you more." She whispered against his lips.
The End
To my wonderful chat girlfriends Steffi, Vale, Ani, Nata, Esti, Dani & Linda; and of course to our man Sfu! :-) Thanks guys, to a billion chats more to come!
Lyrics of ’Goodbye my lover’ © by James Blunt - No infringement of rights is meant or implied.
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